The South African women’s cricket has beaten England for the first time in a World Cup match in more than 20 years to keep their perfect record at the ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand intact.
Marizanne Kapp was electric with both ball and bat as the Proteas chased down 236 for victory with four balls to spare to hand England, the reigning world champions, their third successive defeat.
The three wicket win moves South Africa up to second on the World Cup log, level on points with Australia, but trailing on net run rate.
England was sent into bat and their innings was secured by a strong batting display from opener Tammy Beaumont and wicketkeeper Amy Jones.
The pair put on 107 runs for the fourth wicket with Beaumont hitting her 16th ODI half century and fourth in World Cups.
Masabata Klaas had Beaumont out leg before wicket, gone for 62 off 97 balls, and just in time before she was able to do too much more damage.
Jones went on to score her first World Cup 50 and 10th in ODI’s and it was those two half centuries that gave England a fighting chance.
Marizanne Kapp got her first five wicket haul in her ODI career, taking 5 for 45, and England finished on 235 for 9 in their fifty overs.
In reply, the Proteas leaned heavily on the batting talent of opener Laura Wolvaardt.
Wolvaardt was instrumental in two key partnerships.
Together with Tazmin Brits, the pair put on 56 for the second wicket, and then alongside captain Sune Luus, there was a third wicket stand of 73 runs.
Wolvaardt scored 77 off 101 deliveries with 8 fours, her best effort in World Cup cricket, passing the 75 she scored against Pakistan.
Wolvaardt was eventually undone by the bowling of Kate Cross, with Nat Sciver taking the catch and all of a sudden England was looking much better.
Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp would be called upon to get the Proteas over the line and the pair battled hard with some valuable boundaries.
Their partnership of 30 runs off 29 balls for the sixth wicket was starting to gather momentum.
That was until an unfortunate run-out at the non-strikers end, a freak occurrence that has happened for a third time in the tournament.
Kapp was starting to find boundaries and hit the ball back down the wicket, the bowler was able to deflect the ball onto the stumps and Tryon was out by a mile.
An exceptional performance from one of the world’s best?
? ICC/Getty#SAvENG #CWC22 #BePartOfTheForce #AlwaysRising pic.twitter.com/lvmnVuCcgv
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 14, 2022
Kapp continued to stand up to the English bowlers, a well struck six was just what the doctor ordered as the run chase started to heat up.
Trisha Chetty and Kapp combined for another vital partnership, until Kapp was dismissed LBW by Anya Shrubsole, gone for a fighting 32 off 42 balls.
This was the third match that had gone down to the wire for South Africa, they were used to dealing with the pressure.
Chetty got South Africa over the line for a 3 wicket win with four balls to spare, and the Proteas had three wins from three matches played.
They had beaten England in a World Cup match for the first time since 2000, avenging that semi-final defeat of 2017. The Proteas finished on 236 for 7.
It was the Proteas highest run chase in a World Cup and sees England the defending champions remain winless after three matches. The Proteas next face New Zealand on Thursday.
A few words from the player of the match Marizanne Kapp on her first WODI 5️⃣-wicket haul and what it means to claim victory against England?
? ICC#SAvENG #CWC22 #BePartOfTheForce #AlwaysRising pic.twitter.com/D80OBh6Wx8
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 14, 2022
